Process and apparatus for regulating paper stock and the like



March 23 Y1926.

W. E. BEADLE PROCESS AND APPARTUS FOR REGULATING PAPER STOCK AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 14, y1922:

INVENTOR ATTOR N EY Patented Mar. 23, 1926.`

UNITED STATES tsr/35.55I 1 PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN E. BEADLE,` OIE WISCONSIN RAPIII)S, WISCONSIN.

' Application led December 14, 1922. Serial No. 606,917.

To all/whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN E. BnAnLn, a citizen ofl 4the United States, residing at Wisconsin Rapids, in the county of Wood and State of Wisconsin, have invented new Apparatus for Regulating Paper Stock and the like, of which the following is a specific-ation. y

My invention relates to a process and apparatus for automatically lregulating the consistency or the per cent of solid matter contained in a flowing liquid, the invention being parti-cularly adapted for use in paper mills for regulating the consistency of paper stock, pulp or the like.

It is important, in the manufactureA of paper and other articles from pulp, that the materials, while they are being carried through the process of manufacture, shouldbe of uniform consistency in order to'; obtain a uniform product.

he object of the present invention is to provide a simple device' for regulating the amount'of Water introduced into the mixj ture, which will be quickly responsive tovariations in the consistency thereof, and positive and accurate in its operation.

The invention will be described 1n connection with the accompanying drawing" which illustrates one way in which the principles of my invention may be embodied.

' In the drawing Fig. 1 is a view partly in section and partlyin elevation of a regulating means having my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the same.

Fig. 3 is a' detail view illustrating. the operation of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 designates a chest or vat which may contain paper pulp orI stock, and which has a discharge pipe 6 leading from the lower portion thereof, which is provided with the usual pump 7 for propelling the pulp or stock to a point of utilization. During the passagev of the liquid through the pipe 6, a certain amount of Water may be introduced into the same through a pipe 8 which is provided with a valve 9; for controlling the amount of water according to the consistency of the li uid. This valve is provided with a screwreaded stem 10 which is rotated in one direction or the other to open or close the valve'. For effecting this rotation, the stem 10 carries a ratchet4 wheel 11 that is rovided.- on its opposite faces with oppositely-directed teeth 12 and 13 l which may be engaged by a pawl 14 havand useful Improvementsin Processes and ing a pair of arms 15 and 16 extending on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel and selectively engageable with the teeth 12 and 13 to rotate the lstem 10 in either direction. The pawl 14 is constantly reciprocated by means of a pitman 17 connected with a crank disk 18 which is mounted on a shaft 19 and rotated by means of a wheel 2O driven from a motor 21.

It will be understood that When the pawl is swung to the left into the position shown in Fig. 1, the stem will be rotated to the left or in an anti-clockwise` direction to open the valve and admit more water to the mixture. If the pawl is swung to the right so as to engagethe'teeth 13, the rod 10 will be rotated in a clockwise direction to close the valve. If the pawl is held in its intermediate. or neutral position, the same will be reciprocated without engaging-either side of the ratchet wheel, and the valve will remain in the position in which it is set.

For the purpose of shifting'the pawl 14, one arm thereof is connected by a link 22, with a crank arm 23 which is secured to a shaft 24, one end of the shaft preferably' `having secured thereto a cross arm 25 carrying one or more adjustable counterweights 26 and 27 which may be adjusted for varying the normal or neutral position ofl `the regulator. Secured also to the shaft 24 is a depending arm 28 having a paddle 29 secured to the lower end thereof, whereby a force applied to' the paddle will rock the shaft 24 andvshiftthe pawl '14 in proportion to the 'amount of force vso applied.

For the purpose of actuating the paddle Y2 9 automatically, according to the consistency of the liquid, all or a portion of the flow of liqu-idis directed through an opening 30, or by other suitable means, into a chamber 31 which overflows the side 32 into another chamber 33, thence through an outably at an upwardly-inclined angle.

thereof, with a small outlet 35 extending in the direction of the paddle 29, and prefer- Thus, the stream of liquid passing through the constricted outlet 35 will be forced against the paddle 29 and will swing the same laterally to a certain extent to control the operation of the pawl 14. The liquid which is discharged through the outlet 35 will .fall to the bottom of the chamber 36, whence 1t `may be discharged through a suitable opening 37 into the chamber 33, where it again commingles with the main stream of liquid and is discharged through the outlet The operation of my improved regulator will be best understood in connection with Fig. 3. Since the liquid in the chamber 31 is maintained at constant level, the inertia of the liquid discharged through the constricted outlet 35, which varies directly with the velocity of discharge, will vary inversely with the consistency or percentage of solid matter contained in the liquid. If the lquid is comparatively thick, the inertia will be small and the impact against the paddle 29 will have little force, and consequently the paddle will remain in substantially the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and the ratchet 14 will be held 1n the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the valve 9 will be opened to introduce more water into the mixture. When the liquid reaches the proper consistency, for which the regulating device has been adjusted by means of counterweights 26 and 27, .the impact will force the paddle to the position indicated at a in Fig. 3, whereupon the pawl 14 will be moved to neutral position and the valve 9 will remain as adjusted. If the mixture tends to become too thin, the velocity of discharge from the outlet 35 will increase, thereby increasing the force of the impact against the paddle 29 and moving the latter tothe position shown at b in Fig. 3. This movement will cause the pawl 14 to engage with the teeth 13 and the rod 10 will be rotated to close the valve 9.

ciples of the invention.

From Vthe foregoing description, it will be seen that the construction by means of which the principles of my invention may be carried out is Very simple in its nature and easily installed, and is instantly responsive to variations in the consistency of the liquid, and positive in its operation. While I have shown and described the specific structure of one form in which the invention may be embodied, it will be readily seen by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, that various modifications may be made therein within the scope of what is claimed, withoutdeparting from the prin- Although I have described its use in connection with paper stock or pulp, it will be understood that the invention may also be used with other Aliquids in which the consistency depends upon solid particles in suspension or vin solution.

What is claimed is 1. An apparatus for regulating the consistency of a flowing liquid comprising a valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, means for actuating the valve to vary the rate of flow of the water, and means for diverting a continuous stream -from said liquid and causing said stream to strike said actuating means, causing an impact thereagainst which serves to control the position of the valve, the force of said impact varying inversely with the consistency of said liquid.

2. An apparatus for regulating the consistenc of a flowing liquid comprising a valve or controlling the admission of water thereto, a paddle mounted for oscillation about a horizontal axis, means controlled by the position of said paddle for varying the position of the valve, a chamber through which the liquid passes and having a restricted outlet below the surface of the liquid, said restricted outlet being in such a position as to direct the stream of liquid emitted therefrom against the paddle, so that the impact thereof serves to control 'the position of the paddle.

3. An apparatus for regulating the consistency of a flowing liquid comprising a valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, means rotatable in one direction to open the valve and rotatable in the other direction to close the same, means including a rock 'shaft vfor controlling the rotation of said rotatable shaft, a paddle secured to and depending from the rock shaft, and means for directing a constant stream of said liquid against the paddle with a force varying inversely With the consistency of the liquid.

4. An apparatus for regulating the consistency of a fiowing liquid comprising a valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, means rotatable in one direction to open the valve and rotatable in the other direction to close the same, means including a rock shaft for controlling the rotation of said rotatable shaft, a paddle secured to and depending from the rock shaft, a chamber in which a portior` bf the iowing liquid is maintained at a constant level, and a constricted outlet provided with a nipple inclined upwardly toward the paddle for directing the liquid from said chamber against the paddle, whereby the inertia of the discharge and the consequent force of the impact against the paddle varies inversely with the consistency of, the liquid.

5. An .apparatus for regulating the consistency of a flowing liquid comprising a valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, means rotatable in one direction to open the valve and rotatable inthe other ing a constant stream of said liquid against direction to close-the same, means .including the paddle with a force varying inversely a rock shaft for controlling the rotation of with the consistency'of the liquid. 10 said rotatable shaft, a paddle secured to In testimony that I claim the foregoing 5 and depending from the rockshaft, a counas my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signaterweight adjustable to vary the normal poture. sition of the paddle, rand means for. direct- WARREN E. BEADLE. 

